| 单词 | to burn the thames |
| 释义 | > as lemmasto burn the Thames c. figurative. to burn one's boats: to cut oneself off from all chance of retreat. to burn the Thames: to perform some startling prodigy, ‘set the Thames on fire’. to burn the mill (in allusion to letting the millstones become red-hot by friction from want of grist). to burn one's bridges: see bridge n.1 Phrases 5. ΘΠ the mind > mental capacity > expectation > feeling of wonder, astonishment > quality of inspiring wonder > be a matter of wonder [verb (intransitive)] > perform wonders to work a wonderOE Thamesa1777 to burn the Thames1787 the mind > will > decision > resolve or decide [verb (intransitive)] > take decisive step to cross (also pass) the Rubicon1624 to burn one's bridges (behind one)1860 to burn one's boats1886 1719 T. D'Urfey Wit & Mirth II. 24 His Measure too so scanty, she fear'd 'twould burn her Mill. 1787 J. Wolcot Sir J. Banks & Emp. of Morocco 6 Whose modest wisdom..never aims To find the longitude, or burn the Thames. 1886 Manch. Guard. 23 Feb. 5 The sooner Mr. Goschen burns the boats in which he quitted the shores of Opposition, etc. to burn the Thames b. to set the Thames on fire (see fire n. and int. Phrases 2k) ( †to set fire to the Thames, †to burn the Thames), to do something marvellous, to work wonders. Usually with negative = to work no wonders, never to distinguish oneself.A writer in Notes & Queries of 25 Mar. 1865, p. 249, surmised that Thames here was originally temse a sieve, which he supposed that an active fellow might set on fire by force of friction. This conjecture has no basis of fact. The phrase has also been used of the Rhine (a1638) and other rivers. See Notes & Queries 8th s. VI. 502, and Skeat Stud. Past. §205–6. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > expectation > feeling of wonder, astonishment > quality of inspiring wonder > be a matter of wonder [verb (intransitive)] > perform wonders to work a wonderOE Thamesa1777 to burn the Thames1787 a1777 S. Foote Trip to Calais (1778) iii. 81 Matt Minnikin..an honest burgoise,..won't set fire to the Thames, though he lives near the Bridge. 1787 J. Wolcot Sir J. Banks & Emp. of Morocco 6 Whose modest wisdom..never aims To find the longitude, or burn the Thames. 1796 Grose's Classical Dict. Vulgar Tongue (ed. 3) (at cited word) He will not find out a way to set the Thames on fire; he will not make any wonderful discoveries, he is no conjurer. 1886 W. E. Norris My Friend Jim II. i. 2 I hardly expect him to set the Thames on fire; but I hope his mother will never have reason to be ashamed of him. < as lemmas |
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